Can’t stop war now, Hamas in power a threat: Netanyahu

Jerusalem, May 5

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hardened his rejection of Hamas demands for an end to the Gaza war in exchange for the freeing of hostages, saying on Sunday that would keep the Palestinian Islamist group in power and pose a threat to Israel.

Netanyahu said Israel was willing to pause fighting in Gaza in order to secure the release of hostages still being held by Hamas, believed to number more than 130.

“But while Israel has shown willingness, Hamas remains entrenched in its extreme positions, first among them the demand to remove all our forces from the Gaza Strip, end the war, and leave Hamas in power,” Netanyahu said.

“Israel cannot accept that.” “Hamas would be able to achieve its promise of carrying out again and again and again its massacres, rapes and kidnapping.” In Cairo, Hamas leaders held a second day of truce talks with Egyptian and Qatari mediators, with no apparent progress reported as the group maintained its demand that any agreement must end the war in Gaza, Palestinian officials said.

The war began after an assault by Hamas on southern Israel on October 7 in which 1,200 people were killed and 252 hostages taken, according to Israeli tallies.

Israel’s ensuring military offensive has killed more than 34,600 Palestinians, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-ruled Gaza. — Reuters

Israeli cabinet votes to shut down Al Jazeera’s local operations

• PM Netanyahu’s cabinet decided on Sunday to shut down Al Jazeera’s operations in Israel for as long as the war in Gaza continues, on the grounds the Qatari TV network threatens national security
• Al Jazeera rejected accusations that it harmed Israel’s security as a “dangerous and ridiculous lie” that puts its journalists at risk and said it reserved the right to “pursue every legal step”

Won’t accept demands

Israel will not agree to Hamas’ demands…we are not ready to accept a situation in which the Hamas battalions come out of their bunkers and return to threatening the citizens of Israel. Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli PM